Teachers in the UK have warned parents amid fears that school pupils are experimenting with 'Purple Drank', the same lethal concoction used by late rapper Mac Miller.
Commonly referred to as 'liquid heroin' by some, the illegal drink is made by combining strong cough medicine with soft drinks, usually Sprite or Mountain Dew, and sometimes a boiled sweet.
The warnings come after the lethal cocktail hit the headlines following the untimely death of 26-year-old rapper Mac Miller. And while there has been no evidence to suggest that Purple Drank was the cause of Mac's death, he had admitted that he'd been addicted to the stuff in the past.
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It has many names including Lean, Purple Drank, Sizzurp and Dirty Sprite, and has been popular in the hip-hop community for years.
Chart-topping artists such as Lil Wayne, Young Thug and A$AP Rocky have rapped about it. Soulja Boy even posts pictures of the stuff on his Instagram.
But perhaps the most dangerous thing about this new craze, is that all the ingredients are perfectly legal on their own and can all be purchased freely at supermarkets and chemists everywhere. And while the drink may be easy to make, consuming it can be deadly.
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Earlier this year, a Devon school warned that its pupils were at risk of overdosing on the new drink craze.
Following several reports that pupils were using the substance, the school, St Peter's Church of England Aided School in Exeter, issued a warning on its website, which said: "We have received reports of young people using "Purple Drank" in Exeter.
"Users have reported euphoric and dissociative effects. Other effects include constricted pupils, slow/slurred speech, uncontrolled eye movement, droopy eyes, slowed heart rate, drowsiness, loss of balance, loss of co-ordination and paleness.
"There is a risk of overdose, particularly because of the codeine, and this will be increased when taken in conjunction with alcohol."
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Codeine, the deadly drink's main ingredient, is an opiate, alongside Class A drugs such as heroin and morphine.
The amount of codeine-based cough syrup used in Purple Drank can go 25 times above the recommended dose. So not only is this highly dangerous to consume, it is also an extremely addictive recreational drug.
In its warning, St Peter's went on to advise parents on how to deal with someone who is consuming Purple Drank.
Writing: "Our best advice is, wherever possible, to avoid using Purple Drank completely. However, if someone says they will be using Purple Drank anyway, the following harm-reduction advice should be given.
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"You should say that there is a risk of overdose attached to Purple Drank, especially when used with alcohol.
"You should never use Purple Drank - or other drugs - when you are on your own.
"If someone becomes ill or unconscious having used Purple Drank - or other dugs - you should ring 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance.
"Even though the ingredients can be legally bought without a prescription, they can be very damaging when used above the recommend levels."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Drugs